ABSTRACT
In Chinese conventional historiography, history is arranged by the sequence of dynasties. Dynasties, however, are differentiated into major ones that lasted a long time and unified China, while the minor ones usually clustered in the intermediate periods between major dynasties. The typical arrangement of dynastic history is reflected by the curriculum for history majors in Chinese universities, as shown in the table on page 124. Such divisions according to the changes of sovereign court, of course, are of relatively little sigMajor Dynasties Intermediate Periods Shang (ca. 16th century-ca. 11th century BC) and Western Chou (ca. 11th century-770 BC)
nificance to nonpolitical historical concerns, and they have been variously rethought in connection with growing interest in social history.
